The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-02-21
TIFFIN DISASTER.
scAruINa VERDICT;
Tho Oficinls Of tho baltimore 3 Ohio Hall
road Hold Hcsponslble for tho Collision.
4 A wornout Engine, Green Fireman,
and Ovprworktd Engineer tho Causs

Trrrs, o., Feb. 20.-Tho investigation
Of the great Baltimore 4 Ohio wreck o
January 4th has drawn to an end iinall,
and tomorrow morning tho verdict vii
be rendered by Coroner Slipper. The YER
dict is very lengthy document, OF which
the following Is a synopsis from m ad
vanced copy served tonight:
The Coroner first finds that William
Fredcricks, Of Holgate, O.; J.. NJ. Francis
and Frank Irwin, oil Black Hand, o.. W,
s. Pcirce, Of Wheeling, W. Va; Joseph
Postlethwalte, Henry Postlethwsito and
Spencer Poatlethwaite, OF Wctzel county,
". Va; NJ. H. Parks, Of Wash.
inston, D. O.; Frank D. Bowman,
Of Mechanicaburg. Penna.; David
Ober, OF Oberling, Pa; Thomas %. Penn.
bsrton, OF Payne, o.; Alvey B, Ice. OF
Pentield. Ill. John s. Gartner, of Me.
chanicsville, H., and others whose names
are unknown, came TO their death by a
collision on the Baltimore & Ohio railroad. :.
one.half mile west OF the village Of Rs.
public, January 4th, 1887, at 9 o'clock A, N.
He alao finds that freight engine No. 2S
was in an unsafe and unserviceaole con.
dition, and that tho officials Of the road
had been notified Of tho fact, but still
allowed 1t to be used. The engineer OF
tho freight train, Edward S. Killer. wss
not intoxicated % charged, but was
worn ous with sixteen hours and fifty
minutes continuous duty with a green
fireman and q poor engine. He had plenty
Of time to got to Republic from Seneca
siding, ten miles,'in thirty-eight minutes,
but bis engine was so poor and leaked 60
that the fires were put ont and 1t died on
the track at the point Of the collision.
The conductor Of tho freight, L. F,
Fletcher, failed in his duty for not flag.
ging tho limited expreas, for he knew tho
engine bad died ten minutes before the
express wss due.
The brakes on the express we're inferior
and ineffective, for they failed to diminish
aspeed Of forty.thres miles An hour more
than one half in distance Of 1000 feet.
The manner OF heating and lighting
the cars Of the express train was inferior,
unsafe and dangerous, and contrary to the
laws Of the State Of Ohio. Had the light.
ing and heating been proper the
car would not haye burned and
the loss OF life would have
been light. He therefore fiuds
that the above named persons came to
their death through gross negligence on
tho part Of the officials and managers OF
the Chicago Division Of tho Baltimore &
Ohio railroad Of Garrett, Indiana, and
through the gross negligence OF Con.
ductor L. F. Fletcher, in failing to
signal the express train, and through gross
negligence on the part Of the owners,
managers and officials of tho Baltimore &
Ohio Railroad Company for using on said
express train inferiorand ineffective brskes
-.-also for using an improper, and unlaw-
ful manner Of lighting and heating the
cars OF said expresa.
1t would seem that such negligence ss
resulted in such great loss OF life could
not be other than criminal, but thero
are no laws in Ohio making shch
negligence o crime : and no laws
under which such persons can
be charged with crimo. The verdict will
cause something Of stir, especially in
this State, and will probably be the cause
OF the enactment Of laws making such
negligence asdescribed, ,acrims with severe
punishment, l.1 :. :,